This field test was timely indeed. As you all know over the past months we have had several threads that were focused on the banning of felt soled wading boots and the shift to Vibram rubber soles. This 'shift' in and of itself has left many folks concerned...

Thanks Ard. I was thinking about Simms Star Cleat or Alumibite studs. The Alumibites stand WAY proud of the Vibram lugs, and that looks awkward. Can you feel the Grip studs pushing into the sole of your foot? Do either brand effect your grip on dry rocks: more or less slippery? Is one noisier than the other. The bluegills I fish for are spooky.

Hope you had a good day on the river!

Hi Frank,

I just found your post while browsing reviews. I use 2 less studs than are suggested by either manufacturer but tested them per the instructions that came with. The reason I prefer a little less stud and some more rubber relates to your question about dry rocks. I have only slipped twice while using studs and I mean 'slipped'. First was a slide and fall from some dry limestone rip rap while approaching a stream. I was wearing my Orvis Henry's Fork boots and they had plenty of studs. The studs kept the rubber contact at a minimum and I went skating on a very tilted slab. The second fall was around 1997 while exiting the water and the scenario was the same except the tilted slab was wet.

If noise is an issue I would use fewer studs of any or either brand. The additional rubber should give you safe & quiet contact with dry stone. When wading or creeping around shore we have to expect every footfall to be the one that will slip. That expectation is what keeps me upright and those 2 falls taught a big couple lessons about the extent of grip that a carbide stud could provide.

Hi Ard,
The local stream has been getting slimey and incredibly slippery for the past month. It was last August that Yvonne slipped and broke her ankle using rubber soles, so I decided to break out my old pair of Simms Riversheds with felt bottoms. They gripped the rocky bottom like velcro, and I was once again feeling secure in wading this stream!!! These boots are 3-4 years old, and mangled from excessive use. Even so, the felt bottoms gripped perfectly.
The Vibram Simms had me tip-toeing like a gufus for the past month, but I was moving at my regular zippy pace yesterday. Yvonne was also wearing felt soles, and I think I'm simply going to abandon rubber completely. I was all excited to get the new Simms with Vibram last October (my older Simms are worn badly, and there's about 3/8" of felt remaining), and I think I over-estimated their worth. I fish the same stream 98% of the time, and I'll disinfect my boots when I fish elsewhere. Felt is just better IMO.

Just looking at design and materials, it seems the Grip Studs are well thought-out.
When you see that big machine grinding up asphalt to lay a new surface down, it's carbide doing the grinding. Even on machine tools to carve metal they use carbide (for the most part) as the cutting tool. That stuff is hard and tough but can be brittle. More than wear I wonder if any of them will break or crack on you.
The way they insert really seems to spread the load and contact far more surface area within the sole than a regular sheet metal thread similar to the Simms.
Just by looking I like those Grip Studs. Too bad I won't get to try them as I just got the Chrome Korkers with all sorts of soles to try out.
Nice review. You're hired!

I would have to say that buying Star Cleats for my Simms boots has been about the best investment I have made in this sport. I can now wade with much more confidence and will always use a cleat of some kind regardless of the brand of boot.

I have been using the Chota brand of screw in studs.
The Chota are 28 for $6.00, makes them <$.22 each.
$20 for the 20 carbide studed ones. I don't think it is worth using carbide.
I still am using the $6 one's going on 3 years.

I have use cleats on ice and they are great. I have never used them in the warmwater streams I fish. These streams are limestone and get very slick. At least as slick as ice and I doubt that cleats will penetrate like they do in ice. I am too old to be slip sliding around on these slabs and rocks. Felt has worked great for me for many years and I intend to stay with it for my own safety.

Worked out to 12 cents a piece after shipping a 250 pack. So far so good, only used them on two fishing trips. The only time I find my foot slipping is if I step on the edge on a rock with the edge on my boot. Worth a try and definitely worth 12 cents.

Nice review on cleats! Just wondering, I know you use your boat to get up river, are you using your cleats while in the boat or are you swapping out boots once you get up river and start fishing?

I also have the Simms Riverside rubber soled boots and have been thinking about cleats but I also like to use the drift boat for some of my fishing. I guess I could buy a second pair for when I use the drift boat (that way I would have a set of boots with cleats for wading and another without for the drift boat).